Three Decades Later There Are Solar Panels on the Roof of the White House Again

Obama talks about solar energy in a California Walmart, on May 9, 2014.

Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images

In 1979 Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed on the White House roof. Then Ronald Reagan got rid of them in 1986. But now, 35 years since they were first installed, they're back! Don't strain yourself, White House.

The size of the array that we established here is the typical size for the average American house. Being at the White House, we do have some security concerns. We can't cover the entire roof with panels, although that would be good from an energy-saving standpoint.

Meanwhile, at a Walmart in Mountain View, California, President Obama talked about how important solar energy is, and Walmart announced that it will double the number of Walmart and Sam's Club roofs that have solar arrays by 2020. This fits into a larger Walmart goal of generating (or "procuring") 7 billion kWh of renewable energy by 2020. That's 35-year-old tech in action.